Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-21
FACES FOR THE STAGE.
What Was said by Actors Of Note ~ .
Recent benefit.

nrCrht sbShrnt.
Behind the scenes of theatre is not an
interesting place, usually, and its mac
cessibility is a good thing In preserving
the air Of mystery and ideality So essen.
tial 10 stage work. But Oh the occasion
of the CoulGoCk benefit the actors EN-
ployed were So famous, and the rules 81
relaxed, that n moderate company keenly
enjoyed the meeting Of Edwin Booth
Lawrence Barrett, John Gilbert, Joseph
jefferson. C. W. Couldock and number
Of lesser dramatic personages. Much oi
their talk was commonplace, Of course
but at length somebody spoke Of an &C
count, published that morning. of Richard
Manstield's attempt TO represent the dual
character Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde
The former is a good and rotund man In
the story, you will remember, with &
benevolent sort of face, while the latter
is q wizene,f scoundrel, with an ugly, evil
yisage. Ii was said that Mansfield had un-
dertaken To show the Contrasted faces by
means Of contortion alternated with calm
placidity. In the slang OF the stage he had
''mugged it." Mr. Booth remarked: Il re
member that my father always urged
actors Of character parts To rely AS little
rs possible On make up. and Ia practice
the right expression by an artistic control
Of the muscles of the face, even when the
expression was one which had TO be stead
lily maintained Throughout the play. He
did SO very generally himself As Sir
Giles Overreach he did not line his face at
all, and about the only paint he used was
for the production of the desired com.
pleNion-not for expression"
IA tS oil RI fain n
jefferson. who stood there In the guise Of
Bob Acres, ready 10 appear in The
Rivals, but when you play Juveniles al
my age it Is the obliteration of lines, mol
the making Of false ones, that requires the
brush. Speaking Of your fathers idea
fhough, reminds me Of an actor in his
company who found it extremely difiicuiI
to obey the rule. He could put his mobile
face into the correct Crimace at the outset
before the glass in his dressing room, but
could not hold it persistently. He wuu!,
be q most atrocious villain at first sight,
but when the audience got well acquainted
with him, and the action of the drama re
Quired him To get wickeder and wickeder
his face would steadily smooth ont. Many
time pour father scolded him for this.
and at last permitted him to paint ON the
necessary lines"
My experience has tern singular, A" said
Mr. Gilbert. Il began 10 play old men
right from the commencement OF my ca
reer, and, being boyish then, had TO pail
my face for age very thoroughly. l am
now made up for Sir Peter Teazle, as you
see, but, alack! the wrinkles are all natu-
raj One after another, during about
half a century, have left of the artifi-
cial lines, until at last have caught up
with my stage age"
Mr.. Barrett told about an actress whom
he would not name. But she had Q
pretty as well as mobile face, he said.
and that is q combination not often
found Strong expression does not CON-
monty go with lovely features. However,
il was so In this instance. The lady prided
herself great deal on her facial delinea
ton, but she had the same difficulty men,
toned by Mr.. BOoth-she couldn't bs
sure Of just what she was looking like
when away from her glass. So she al
ways had tiny mirror about her toilet
in q fan, as an adornment at her wrist
or in some other place where the audi
euce would not detect il. Whenever she
would become in the least uncertain OF
her face she would glance into the mir.
ror and readjust her features. II was 8
good, practical idea New York Cor
Chicago Herald